In 1998 fishermen diving for sea cucumbers off the coast of Indonesia made a discovery that would transform the story of early global trade.
They found a shipwreck dating back to China's 9th century Tang dynasty, with a cargo of more than 60,000 items - many of them perfectly preserved.
Now for the first time some of these works of art are leaving their museum in Singapore to go on display at the Asia Society in New York.
Nick Harper reports from New York.
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TAKE VO
Under thoroughly modern lighting sit the truly ancient artifacts.
Treasures from the deep, dredged up after more than a millennia on the seabed.
TAKE VO
Precious ceramics, gold dishes, silver wine flasks, copper mirrors - evidence of the artistry and beauty of 9th century China.
But also testament to trade routes that existed well before historians had initially imagined.
TAKE VO
The director of Singapore's Asian Civilizations Museum, where this exhibition usually resides, Kenny Ting says this discovery upended traditional thought on early trade.
Kenny Ting - "There's a certain kind of surprise that comes from realizing that these global connections were in existence more than a thousand years ago because people today think of globalization of something that is very recent, that has actually just emerged in the last fifty years maybe. And so it requires a shift of mindset."
TAKE VO
It's believed the shipwreck dates back to some time in the mid-800s, at the height of China's early maritime trade activity with Arabia.
Kenny Ting - "It showed that even in the 9th century there were trade routes that crossed continents of the globe and that China was already producing things on a industrial scale for foreign demand."
TAKE VO
And to make those products more desirable to their Middle Eastern buyers Chinese artists included techniques and motifs popular thousands of miles away.
Three dishes were discovered with blue and white colouring. As as the Curator of the Asian Civilizations Museum, Stephen Murphy explains, that revolutionized the understanding of Chinese ceramic.
Stephen Murphy, Asian Civilizations Museum - "Traditional dating for 'blue and white' is 14th century but in this shipwreck we see that they were actually producing blue and white in the 9th century. And what's interesting is the blue to produce this design is from cobalt and cobalt is only available in the middle east in this period. So we know the cobalt is being shipped to China, they're producing the plate in China on Chinese clay which is a very white fine clay, and then they're shipping it back to the middle east."
TAKE VO
This is the first time the exhibition has been shown outside of Singapore. Transporting the pottery here was far from easy. The museum used specially molded foam cases, which exactly fit each exhibit.
Something that's only possible because 9th century packing methods were no less effective.
Dozens of storage jars were discovered in the wreck, with ceramic bowls packed tightly inside.
Over the centuries the jars themselves were battered by the water. Coral scarred the outsides.
But this space-saving packing technique helped the bowls inside survive intact.
TAKE VO
The exhibition was due to come to the US six years ago. But Washington DC's Smithsonian Museum pulled out amid ethical concerns over the way the cargo was commercial salvaged for profit, rather than excavated by underwater archaeological teams.
The exhibitors argue the controversy shouldn't outweigh the academic and artistic importance of this discovery.
The Secrets of the Sea exhibition remains in New York until the start of June.
SOC
ENDS
IN: "Under thoroughly...."
OUT: SOC
DUR: 3:18
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RNZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0307shipwreck-nh-rnz.mp3
VATICAN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0307shipwreck-nh-vat.mp3
ZIZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0307shipwreck-nh-ziz.mp3
TAKE VO
Under thoroughly modern lighting sit the truly ancient artifacts.
Treasures from the deep, dredged up after more than a millennia on the seabed.
TAKE VO
Precious ceramics, gold dishes, silver wine flasks, copper mirrors - evidence of the artistry and beauty of 9th century China.
But also testament to trade routes that existed well before historians had initially imagined.
TAKE VO
The director of Singapore's Asian Civilizations Museum, where this exhibition usually resides, Kenny Ting says this discovery upended traditional thought on early trade.
Kenny Ting - "There's a certain kind of surprise that comes from realizing that these global connections were in existence more than a thousand years ago because people today think of globalization of something that is very recent, that has actually just emerged in the last fifty years maybe. And so it requires a shift of mindset."
TAKE VO
It's believed the shipwreck dates back to some time in the mid-800s, at the height of China's early maritime trade activity with Arabia.
Kenny Ting - "It showed that even in the 9th century there were trade routes that crossed continents of the globe and that China was already producing things on a industrial scale for foreign demand."
TAKE VO
And to make those products more desirable to their Middle Eastern buyers Chinese artists included techniques and motifs popular thousands of miles away.
Three dishes were discovered with blue and white colouring. As as the Curator of the Asian Civilizations Museum, Stephen Murphy explains, that revolutionized the understanding of Chinese ceramic.
Stephen Murphy, Asian Civilizations Museum - "Traditional dating for 'blue and white' is 14th century but in this shipwreck we see that they were actually producing blue and white in the 9th century. And what's interesting is the blue to produce this design is from cobalt and cobalt is only available in the middle east in this period. So we know the cobalt is being shipped to China, they're producing the plate in China on Chinese clay which is a very white fine clay, and then they're shipping it back to the middle east."
TAKE VO
This is the first time the exhibition has been shown outside of Singapore. Transporting the pottery here was far from easy. The museum used specially molded foam cases, which exactly fit each exhibit.
Something that's only possible because 9th century packing methods were no less effective.
Dozens of storage jars were discovered in the wreck, with ceramic bowls packed tightly inside.
Over the centuries the jars themselves were battered by the water. Coral scarred the outsides.
But this space-saving packing technique helped the bowls inside survive intact.
TAKE VO
The exhibition was due to come to the US six years ago. But Washington DC's Smithsonian Museum pulled out amid ethical concerns over the way the cargo was commercial salvaged for profit, rather than excavated by underwater archaeological teams.
The exhibitors argue the controversy shouldn't outweigh the academic and artistic importance of this discovery.
The Secrets of the Sea exhibition remains in New York until the start of June.
SOC
ENDS